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Description

Despite its geographical centrality and its considerable economic involvement in Europe, Switzerland remains unusual in that it is neither a member of the European Union or the European Economic Area. At a time when the Union is both expanding and seeking to develop its integration, the country constitutes a real anomaly amongst west European states.

This book demonstrates the range, depth and complexity of Switzerland’s developing relations with Europe and provides detailed and up-to-date information on Switzerland itself. Considering a variety of dimensions of the country and its ambiguous relations with the EU, the contributors, all of whom are leading specialists on Swiss-EU relations, explore:

the classical political obstacles to entry: federalism, direct democracy, neutrality and the growing strength of anti-European populism

policy barriers to integration: in trade and economics generally, in financial matters, and in social provisions relating to the movement of people

the negotiation of the two sets of bilateral accords which presently structure Swiss relations with the Union

the EU response and the prospects for future Swiss-EU relations.

Switzerland and the European Union will appeal to specialists on Switzerland, academics and students in politics and international relations, and practitioners in European integration and Swiss politics.

Contents

1. Introduction Clive H. Church Part A: Political Problems 2. Federalism: Institutional Adaptation and Symbolic Constraints Paolo Dardanelli 3. Direct Democracy and European Integration: A Limited Obstacle? Alex Trechsel 4. Swiss Neutrality – An Obstacle on the Path towards the EU? Daniele Ganser & Georg Kreis 5. Populism in Switzerland and the EU: From Vox Populi to Vox Mediae Regula StampfliPart B: Economic and Social Difficulties 6. Swiss International Economic Relations: Assessing a Small and Open Economy Rolf Weder 7. Sectors, Structures and Suspicions: Financial and other Aspects of Swiss Economic Relations with the EU Clive H. Church with Christina Severin & Bettina Hurni 8. The (Contentious) Human Face of Europeanization: Free Movement and Immigration Philippe Koch & Sandra LavenexPart C: The EU and International Contexts 9. The Wider Setting of Swiss Foreign Policy Laurent Goetschel 10. Continuities Within Change: The Background of Swiss Relations with Europe Clive H. Church 11. Back to the Future: The First Round of Bilateral Negotiations with the EU Cedric Dupont & Pascal Sciarini 12. Bilaterals II: Reaching the Limits of the Swiss Third Way? Alexandre Afonso & Martino Maggetti 13. Switzerland: Special Case or Scallywag? The View from the EU Sieglinde Gstohl 14. Prospects Yannis Pappadopolous

Author Bio

Clive H. Church is Emeritus Jean Monnet Professor of European Studies of the University of Kent, UK and a member of the University’s Centre for Swiss Politics.